Friday, June 15, 2007

Quote of the Weak: "I don't like waking up and reading on the front page of the Sunpapers that we're second in homicide in the country. I don't believe that's really factual." -- Mayor Dixon on FBI crime data (second item)

Police are looking for Maurice Crosby and Erica Ammenhauser for the murder of Marine Reservist Michael Simms on Sunday morning. Police say Crosby stabbed Simms with a knife while Ammenhauser, who has been arrested 11 times, "came down weilding a bat and an ax."

15-year-old Maurice Gordon was pronounced dead after being shot in the 2500 block of Linden Ave while sitting on a porch with some friends. The boy's father told Annie Linsky that Maurice "was not involved with drugs. Random violence. It is past crazy." He then proceeded to slap, beat and kick a boy who he said "set my son up" while photographer Monica Lopossay captured the scene, until Gordon's mother protected the victim with her own body.

Wow, that was quick! Sheila D. and Lenny have changed their stance on homicide detectives being required to walk beats.Quote of the day #2: "It's amazing how quickly they switched gears with one unit. The plan, if there is one, is just to get [the Dixon administration] through three or four months until the election." -- Robert F. Cherry Jr., a union vice president and homicide detective

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Murder news:* An unidentified man was fatally shot Tuesday night in the 2400 block of N. Ellamont St.* 22-year-old Tyree Williams was fatally shot Wednesday morning in the 3200 block of Phelps Ln.* 18-year-old Barbara Griffin was identified as the teenager whose body was found outside Bentalou Elementary on Monday morning.* Curtis Washington was the teenager who died at Hopkins after being shot in the 1600 block of Montpelier St. early Tuesday morning.

15-year-old Maurice Gordon is on life-support after being shot early Wednesday morning in the 2500 block of Linden Ave. (same link as above.)

At a hearing June 8, 2007 Wayne Zeigler, 25, of the 1700 block of N. Fulton Ave. pled guilty to first degree assault and use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence for a shooting that injured an 11-year-old boy. Judge Martin P. Welch sentenced Zeigler to ten years in prison for the assault and a concurrent five year without parole prison term for the handgun count. Details:

On April 13, 2007 Zeigler was walking in the 1600 block of McKean Ave. when approached by an unknown male wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt. The unknown male produced a handgun and started firing at Zeigler. Zeigler produced his own gun and started returning fire in a southerly direction toward Baker Street and the 1500 block of McKean. Neither Wayne Zeigler nor the unknown male were injured during this incident, but shortly after the shootout police and medics responded to 1521 McKean Avenue for a shooting victim. It was discovered that An 11 year old boy was shot in the arm. Investigation revealed that Wayne Zeigler was firing in the victim’s direction when returning fire from the unknown male. Assistant State’s Attorney David M. Grzechowiak of the Firearms Investigation Violence Enforcement (FIVE) Division prosecuted this case.

At a hearing yesterday, Judge John N. Prevas sentenced Kenneth Johnson, 21, of the 3200 block of Pelham Ave. to life in prison plus 50 years, consecutive and Kevin Martin, 26, of the 8400 block of Downey Dale Dr. to life in prison. A third co-defendant, Timothy Davis, is scheduled for sentencing June 26, 2007. The drama-packed backstory:

On May 2, 2007 a Baltimore City jury found Johnson guilty of one count of attempted first degree murder, one count of attempted second degree murder, two counts of use of a handgun in a crime of violence, and multiple counts of conspiracy. They found Davis guilty of two counts of first degree assault, two counts of use of a handgun in a crime of violence, and multiple counts of conspiracy. They found Martin guilty of conspiracy to commit murder. On April 13, 2006 at 9:50 p.m., Dewarren Artes & Brandon Harvell were in the 3300 block of Cardenas when Johnson and others emerged from a dark alley. Shots were fired at Harvell and he was hit once in the leg and fell. Artes ran away and was hit in the back (the bullet exited out of his chest two inches from his heart). Ten .40 caliber shell casings and seven .357 shell casings were found at the scene indicating that at least two guns were used.

Northeast District Officers on foot patrol a block away heard the gunshots and responded. The Officers saw a vehicle leaving the scene of the shooting coming down an alley with its headlights off. They stopped the vehicle and saw three individuals inside. The driver told the officers that “some one was shooting up there.” The Officers ordered the driver to stop the car but it sped off. Other officers in the area followed the vehicle. The pursuit lasted approximately ten minutes and reached speeds of up to 70 miles per hour. The vehicle stopped when it went up a dark alley and hit a tree. Three men bailed out of the car and fled. Two men were captured two blocks away – Davis and Martin. Gunshot residue was found on the hands of Davis, but not on Martin. Martin’s DNA was found on latex gloves left in the front passenger seat of the vehicle. Fingerprints of Davis & Martin were also found in the vehicle. One of the victims identified Johnson as one of the shooters.Assistant State’s Attorney Douglas D. Guidorizzi of the Firearms Investigation Violence Enforcement (FIVE) Division prosecuted this case.

Blotterrata: Akeem Thompson, 20, of the 2000 block of E. Preston St., was arrested for shooting that 6-year-old boy in the foot.Keyuanna Lee, 18, was arrested Sunday morning on a warrant of robbing the Applebee's.

Monday, June 11, 2007

Four males were arrested after 27-year-old Zach Sowers was beaten into a coma after walking to his home in Patterson Park from a Canton bar. Said Darielle Snipes from her well-worn spot in front of Hopkins Hospital, "Men, put your pride aside and don't walk home alone at night."

... police in Australia received a complaint, and immediately coordinated with the international community in order to apprehend the offender and rescue the child. ... According to the plea agreement, on November 8, 2006, Australian Federal Police received a complaint from ANYwebcam.com, alleging that a male child was being sexually assaulted on a webcam by an adult male. ANYwebcam.com, an Australian Internet Content host, provided screen captures of the webcam images in its report to the Australian Federal Police, Online Child Sex Exploitation Team (OCSET). Investigation revealed that on November 7, 2006, Parks produced and sent by webcam over the internet, live images of himself sexually molesting an 11 year old boy from his home. The minor boy was in the custody of Parks, who was watching him after school while his mother worked. The boy and his mother had been living with Parks since August 2006.

U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz sentenced David Barry Mentzer, age 51, of Joppa, Maryland, today to 10 years in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release for possession of child pornography. According to his plea agreement, on March 22 and March 24, 2006, search warrants were executed at Mentzer’s home related to charges filed against him in Harford County Circuit Court involving the molestation of a 12 year old boy who was a piano student of his wife. During the execution of the search warrants, several computers belonging to the defendant were seized and found to contain depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including at least 33 images involving pre-pubescent children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The visual depictions were transported through the Internet. Mentzer pled guilty in Harford County Circuit Court to third degree sex offense involving the molestation of the 12 year old boy and was sentenced in December 2006 to 40 years’ incarceration.

MS-13 news: "U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Melvin Murios-Garcia, also known as Strichar, age 20, of Hyattsville, Maryland, today to 188 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to conduct and participate in racketeering activities of MS-13 gang," and Chasanow "sentenced Edgar Alberto Ayala, age 29, of Suitland, Maryland, today to 35 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise and conspiracy to commit assaults with a deadly weapon, in order to maintain and increase his position in MS-13."

Troy Gross, Sr., age 44, of Baltimore, pleaded guilty today to bank robbery and brandishing a gun during a crime of violence.

According to the plea agreement, Gross entered the Wachovia Bank at 1726 East Northern Parkway, Baltimore, on January 30, 2007, and pointed a semi-automatic Walther P38 handgun at customers and employees, threatening to shoot if not given money. Gross took money from all the bank tellers totaling $11,520 and left the bank. On February 20, 2007, Gross entered the same bank. He grabbed a 67-year-old female customer and pointed the gun to her head, stating that it was a robbery. The customer fainted. Immediately inside the bank door was a Baltimore city police officer who heard Gross say “robbery” and saw the gun. The police officer shot at Gross, striking him several times.

Two bodies in the city this morning: A teenage girl with several bullet wounds was found behind Bentalou Elementary at about 6:15, and a man was found in a car in the 1500 block of N. Hilton St. at about 2:20.